Nicky Stone

Weight 

168kg / 370lbs

Location
View on Google Maps
View on what3words - truffles.performs.shovels

Original Challenge
Stone to Chest

Name Origin
The name “Nicky” likely comes from Old Norse and Germanic words—Nixe, Nack, Nykr, Nokk—for shapeshifting water spirits that lured people to danger. In Beowulf, similar creatures called “Nicors” haunt watery moors, akin to the Grindylow and Lancashire’s Jenny Greenteeth, who dragged the unwary beneath the surface.

Stone Placement
Discovered and placed by @dances_with_stones, this stone lies in the long grass on the opposite side of the path from the banks of Grizedale Brook, beneath Nicky Nook Fell. It forms part of a two-stone circuit, with its companion, the Nook Stone, located approximately 100 metres further along the path.

History

The Nicky Stone sits beneath the slopes of Nicky Nook Fell, one of Lancashire's most recognisable landmarks. The surrounding countryside has been inhabited for centuries, with evidence of Norse influence dating back to the Viking Age (c. AD 800–1066). 

Many place names across the Forest of Bowland and surrounding Lancashire villages originate from Old Norse, reflecting the presence of Scandinavian settlers who farmed and shaped the landscape over a thousand years ago.

During the medieval period, the area around Nicky Nook formed part of the Royal Forest of Lancaster, where land was managed for farming, hunting and grazing. Communities such as Scorton and Dolphinholme developed around agriculture, with generations of local families working the surrounding fields and fells.

By the 18th and 19th centuries, the fell had become an important local landmark for travellers, farmers and shepherds. The nearby villages expanded during the Industrial Revolution, while the higher ground remained largely unchanged, preserving the character of the landscape seen today.

In modern times, Nicky Nook has become a popular destination for walkers, offering views across Morecambe Bay, the Fylde coast and, on clear days, the Lake District fells. The Nicky Stone continues that connection between past and present, providing a modern challenge in a landscape shaped by more than a thousand years of history.